Pomona vs. Wellesley Please help~~~~

Colleges and Universities A-Z Pomona College
1

<p>I am a student from Mainland China and I am considering coming back to my country in the future and really hope i will be able to. I don't have a major set in mind yet but I am definitely not the engineering or intense sciences type of girl. I will probably double major or minor in studio art(photography). I don't really want to go in to a grad school since it will prolong the time until I can go back to China (from about 6 years to almost 10~) and I don't want my family to have to afford my graduate education after they have spent so much on my college education. But nothing is set in stone yet and academically I am not against graduate education at all and it is probably helpful and neccessary to me afterall. If I am going to a grad school, I will prefer to work first for a couple years.</p>

<p>Pomona and Wellesley are both great academically and the education probably won't be too different (small classes, close relationships with profs....). Because they are both so good I am having a hard time deciding. </p>

<p>Pomona
Pros: lots and lots of activities, social life in addition to great education and the warm Californian sunshine always adds to the good mood! I will more likely to be happy~</p>

<p>Cons: although it is a fantastic school, it doesn't have as big of a name as Wellesley does in America or in China. So it might be harder for me to find a good job in the future... (This is actually quite important for me because the job competition in China is more intense than ever and many returning Chinese from foreign countries couldn't find good enough jobs. And if I plan to stay in America to work for a few years, getting a working visa is extremely important and difficult. Most companies are reluctant to pay extra to help foreign workers attain visas. > < )
Almost no alumni working in China. (I luckily got an interview because one of the alumni happened to be on business trip to China for a couple days....)</p>

<p>Wellesley:
Pros:
great reputation and academics. Great alumni network in China.
It is also closer to people I know in America (such as my host family, my uncle's family...)
sisterhood, longlasting friendships.</p>

<p>Cons: its competition sounds INTENSE. Wellesley girls seem to study nonstop and work till the next morning all the time. (don't know if it's the normal case or what~) It also seems like there are not much else to do if you are not studying. I am kind of afraid of the stress and I don't want to live unhappy for 4 years..... However I do know there are competitions everywhere and I will study hard anyway, but I just don't want to miss out on the fun part of college! :(</p>

<p>What do you guys think? Should I worry so much about the name recognition especially as an International student? Hoping for some encouragement! thx~</p>

2

<p>Also, unfortunately I have never been able to visit either school and I will not be able to in the near future… (not until I make my decision and start the orientation in August)</p>

<p>Anything thing is, well it might be irrelevant, that when I look into to the orientations at this two schools, Pomona’s advanterous orientation can really give college a fresh and exciting start while the Wellesley one mainly focuses on choosing classes, setting up your computer and even taking a math test… It kind of give a snapshot of different lifestyles I will have in these two schools.</p>

3

<p>For what it’s worth:</p>

<p>You’re obviously a highly intelligent and capable young woman. You’ll succeed in life no matter where you go. So my advice is to go to the college where you’ll be happiest. Learn as much as you can, make good friends, enjoy the adventure, and everything else will fall into place. </p>

<p>Good luck with your decision!</p>

4

<p>I agree. This is a personal decision no one can make for you. You seem to understand the factors quite well. You can peruse the websites and look at the architecture. You can also read all the courses in a department that interests you and see which meshes best with your interests and approach.</p>

5

<p>siyao1030-</p>

<p>I’m a Wellesley alum whose daughter graduated from Pomona last spring. I’ve also volunteered for both admissions offices.</p>

<p>Definitely, the Wellesley network is incredible. But the Pomona network is equally as good - it helped my daughter find a job.</p>

<p>I think you’ll find that students at both schools are self-motivated to do well. Wellesley students collaborate rather than compete with one another. At both schools, students study hard and are proud of their achievements and should be - they’ve earned the right. But I think you’ll find the same kind of camaraderie at both institutions.</p>

<p>Only you know how much name recognition means in your country and how that will translate when it comes to finding a job there.</p>

<p>And of course, the one distinctive difference between Pomona and Wellesley is that Pomona is coed and Wellesley is all-women. That doesn’t mean that there are no men on campus. There’s a strong cross-registration system between Wellesley and MIT, and the College participates in the Twelve College Exchange Program. So you’ll find men on campus, in the classrooms, and in the residence halls.</p>

<p>Good luck with your decision.</p>

6

<p>I neglected to mention that Wellesley has had a long association with China - Madame Chiang Kai-Shek is an alumna. And there’s an extensive alumnae network, with clubs worldwide, especially in Asia.</p>